Boy you just never know what you are going to come back to on this board after a vacation.
Bob, you should be commended for taking the time to bring this topic forward. Having spend many an hour in waiting rooms and visiting areas for family members and friends who have been through similar challenges, I can associate but mostly from the third person.
Epiphany. I just edited the above sentence to add the word mostly. You all just made me realize something that I myself may have been in denial about to some degree.
Quiet often the weight of depression in someone struggling with these symptoms can spread to the people closest around them. It could be in the form of sadness as you watch your friend or loved one struggle. It could be a burning frustration from the feeling of helplessness. It can often become a severe stress, maybe even a depression of it's own from feeling like you have to be the one to behave perfectly ALL THE TIME or 'walk on eggshells' all the time. The periods of silence because your afraid that everything you say will be misconstrued and result in the person crying, being upset or angry.
My point? Twofold I guess. I just wanted to add that if you ("you" being the figurative "anybody") think you can suck it up and handle your challenges on your own, consider that you might be effecting more than just yourself. Your friends/family will likely never tell you they are struggling to keep it together for you. If your lucky, they will still always be there for you but their suffering may be growing as well due to your denial. In the worst cases, I could see how if this ripple effect is left to stagnate on it's own, it could result in lost friendships and broken marriages.
Secondly, as loyal as the friend may be, their loved one's challenges may be bringing them to a place where it couldn't hurt to get some help themselves. (Sorry Bob, I couldn't think of another word here vs. "help" but I don't consider the word derogatory or demeaning at all when used in this context.) Just because you are trying to be the strong one, doesn't mean that you couldn't use some support in the process. Even the strongest platoon of relief soldiers needs reinforcements eventually.
Admittedly, I never practiced what I just preached but perhaps now I will be much more likely to do so.
